How much do I burn per day?

Assuming I am sedentary I get widely varying numbers on different
online calculators. The numbers range from 1403 kcal/day to 1760
kcal/day for 113 lbs. The average is 1600 kcal/day.

Which one am I to trust? Right now I'm using 1403 kcal/day because I
know I have a high percentage of fat, which doesn't burn many calories.
By using the tape measure method, my body fat was estimated at 32%,
which means I only have about 77 lbs lean body mass. I'm considered
obese at that body fat %, even though my BMI is about 23.

I guess the main thing I'm concerned about is whether or not I'm
actually eating too many calories at 1200 kcal/day. I must say that I'm
not deprived at all on 1200 kcal/day. Should I go down to 1100 kcal?

One wrote:
> Assuming I am sedentary I get widely varying numbers on different
> online calculators. The numbers range from 1403 kcal/day to 1760
> kcal/day for 113 lbs. The average is 1600 kcal/day.
>
> Which one am I to trust? Right now I'm using 1403 kcal/day because I
> know I have a high percentage of fat, which doesn't burn many calories.
> By using the tape measure method, my body fat was estimated at 32%,
> which means I only have about 77 lbs lean body mass. I'm considered
> obese at that body fat %, even though my BMI is about 23.
>
> I guess the main thing I'm concerned about is whether or not I'm
> actually eating too many calories at 1200 kcal/day. I must say that I'm
> not deprived at all on 1200 kcal/day. Should I go down to 1100 kcal?

You don't have to assume anything. You can figure EXACTLY how many
calories you are burning per day average. Here's how. You can figure it
if you are losing weight, gaining weight, or staying the same but you
have to weigh yourself exactly and know exactly how many calories you
are consuming. There are 3500 cal in each pound. Suppose your weight is
staying the same. Simply count up the calories each day, add them up
for some time interval...the longer the interval, the more accurate
your answer. Divide the total calories consumed over the time interval
by the no. of days in the interval and you get exactly how many cal on
av. you need to maintain yourself at your present weight.

If you gained weight over the interval...say 2 pounds, then you ate
3500 X 2 or 7000 cal too much for the time interval. Dividing by the
no. of days tells you how much per day you overate. There is no guess
work involved. This takes into account your metabolism, exercise and
eating habits.

As you gain or lose weight, you need to refigure this, because heavier
people burn more calories and thinner people burn fewer. dkw

On Oct 8, 11:15 am, dkw12...@yahoo.com wrote:
> As you gain or lose weight, you need to refigure this, because heavier
> people burn more calories and thinner people burn fewer.

While I agree with the part about finding your caloric deficit range, I
disagree with the above statement.
I believe its usually the other way around. When talking about the
bottom line or BMR (basal metabolic rate) fatter people burn (or use)
LESS calories because fat is inert and doesnt 'use' any calories.
Fatter people usually have less muscle tissue, which is metabolically
active. Basically, you need more muscles to be able to eat more.
Depending on how thin we are talking about here (not starving models)
most average to thinner people would/could use MORE calories not less
than a fatter person.



joanne

joanne wrote:
> On Oct 8, 11:15 am, dkw12...@yahoo.com wrote:
> > As you gain or lose weight, you need to refigure this, because heavier
> > people burn more calories and thinner people burn fewer.
>
> While I agree with the part about finding your caloric deficit range, I
> disagree with the above statement.
> I believe its usually the other way around. When talking about the
> bottom line or BMR (basal metabolic rate) fatter people burn (or use)
> LESS calories because fat is inert and doesnt 'use' any calories.
> Fatter people usually have less muscle tissue, which is metabolically
> active. Basically, you need more muscles to be able to eat more.
> Depending on how thin we are talking about here (not starving models)
> most average to thinner people would/could use MORE calories not less
> than a fatter person.
>
>
>
> joanne

Perhaps heavier people have a lower metabolism in some cases, but it
takes more calories to maintain a heavier body. That is why heavier
people are allotted more calories, not fewer, to maintain their weight.
If you use the analogy that being overweight is like carrying around
weights, you get the connection. Heavier people burn more calories than
lighter people. dkw

Thanks dkw

I figured out how much I ate for 30 days. I lost 2.4 lbs in that 30
days. I figured out that I burn approx. 1483 kcal/day.

One wrote:
> Thanks dkw
>
> I figured out how much I ate for 30 days. I lost 2.4 lbs in that 30
> days. I figured out that I burn approx. 1483 kcal/day.

Good. It is important to know how many calories you need, so you can
lose weight if needed. I always know exactly how many calories I
consume and monitor my weight closely. That basal rate people talk
about isn't really important to know because it is kind of theoretical
anyway, because it supposed to represent no exercise at all and a
completely sedentary life.

1485 cal sounds a little low to me, unless you are quite small. It
could also be you are consuming a few more calories than you figured,
but of course it could also be accurate. Good luck. dkw

dkw12...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
> ... You can figure EXACTLY how many
> calories you are burning per day average. Here's how. You can figure it
> if you are losing weight, gaining weight, or staying the same but you
> have to weigh yourself exactly and know exactly how many calories you
> are consuming. There are 3500 cal in each pound. Suppose your weight is
> staying the same. Simply count up the calories each day, add them up
> for some time interval...the longer the interval, the more accurate
> your answer. Divide the total calories consumed over the time interval
> by the no. of days in the interval and you get exactly how many cal on
> av. you need to maintain yourself at your present weight.

During this time it is very important to average your readings.
The scale is FAR from "exact" because it reflects water swing in
addition to fat and lean. Only by averaging can you approach
"exact".

> If you gained weight over the interval...say 2 pounds, then you ate
> 3500 X 2 or 7000 cal too much for the time interval. Dividing by the
> no. of days tells you how much per day you overate. There is no guess
> work involved. This takes into account your metabolism, exercise and
> eating habits.

The longer the period used the better this works. The reason is
this method does automatically average out across the time period
used.

> As you gain or lose weight, you need to refigure this, because heavier
> people burn more calories and thinner people burn fewer.

It isn't quite that simple. Fat burns takes fewer calories per pound
than lean, so as you lose your caloric requirement won't fall as fast
as your total weight.

On 8 Oct 2006 19:39:08 -0700, "Doug Freyburger" <dfreybur@yahoo.com>
wrote:

>During this time it is very important to average your readings.
>The scale is FAR from "exact" because it reflects water swing in
>addition to fat and lean. Only by averaging can you approach
>"exact".

Indeed! I recently bought a Tanita scale, and I've been weighing
myself each morning at home rather than just sporadically at the gym.
Comparing yesterday morning and this morning, I lost 4 pounds and
gained 3% bodyfat :-). My hydration level -- also presumably measured
by this scale was 2% lower this morning -- which probably accounts for
the lower weight and the higher bf% (as when there's more water in
your body, a lower percentage of your total weight is fat). I take
all this stuff with several grains of salt...

Chris
262/130s/130s
started dieting July 2002, maintaining since June 2004